Finding The Good In The Midst of Trials: An Open Book On Suffering

Hello sweet friends! I am so happy to be able to share some encouragement with you today on finding the good in the midst of trials. I am not an expert on this matter, but I do have insight. I have battled chronic illness for nine years - with no solution, no real answers, and at times no hope. In the last four years I sustained a severe head injury that has left me with painful and frustrating symptoms that effect me everyday. My daily life is muddied by one struggle on top of the other. Sometimes the pain brings me to my knees, and other times the emotional toll does. Life is not easy [ for any of us ] but it can be beautiful and there is good in each day.

As I continue to weather my own trials, I want to encourage you to take on yours with grace and the knowledge that you are not alone. I can empathize with your pain, but moreover, God knows your pain and He will not leave you to be crushed by your burdens. 

Read on for 3 encouragements to help you find the good in the midst of trials.

Accept What You Cannot Change

I firmly believe that God does not give us more than we can handle. It will feel like the weight of the trial is crushing you, but our Heavenly Father has made a way of escape from the burden and pain, through Him. He will not allow the trials to completely crush you, no matter how heavy it feels. 

I have learned through my own suffering that the good cannot be truly appreciated or cherished without the bad. Pain makes us appreciate relief, a questioning heart makes us appreciate peace, and trials that test our resilience make us appreciate inner strength. 

The beauty of the good things in this life is in the pain that we have weathered to get to them. Trials make peace all the sweeter.

Accepting what cannot be changed and choosing to acknowledge what is good will help you find the peace that we all yearn for in life. Until we accept the things that we cannot change, we cannot begin to move forward and prepare ourselves to bear the weight of that burden.

 Be More Than Your Suffering [Choose Joy ]

Suffering of any kind can overshadow who you are. When we battle daily it is easy to become our suffering. You are so much more than your pain and you are more than heartache. We are complete people with loves, talents, unique perspectives, and wonderful creativity. Hold onto who you are - Utilize your talents, explore your creativity, and enjoy the things that you love!

Do not allow your suffering/trials to become all that you are. Choose joy today. Dig down deep inside of who you are, and live. These trials will not overtake you, nor will they overshadow you. 

You are more.

Everyday Is A Fresh Start [ Make The Most Of It ]

Waking up every morning knowing that 'today is a fresh start' makes weathering life's trials or personal suffering a little easier. Instead of tackling the trial or the pain all at once, take it on a little bit at a time - day by day. Yesterday's pain is gone, yesterday's fear is gone, yesterday's struggles are gone. So live today with renewed strength! Face today, and only today.

It is easy to say God is good when there is no suffering. The heavy reality is that we live in a fallen world. God is still good when we are suffering and when we feel like we are crumbling. 

Part of living in the present moment rather than the past or the future is finding strength for the moment. I find my moment by moment strength in Christ. On my own I could not bear the weight of chronic illness, the fatigue, or the uncertainty. Some may not agree with this point of view [ I'm okay with that. ] but there is great strength in the Lord. Seeking Him daily for your moment by moment strength with bolster you like nothing else can. God is good in the pain. God is good in the relief. You will not be crushed

Outfit Details:

Jacket // Banana Republic [ similar ]
Top // Doe & Rae
Denim // American Eagle [ similar ]
Boots // c/o Sole Society [ similar ]
Sunnies // RayBan
Bag // Michael Kors

Life can throw trials our way that often seem too difficult to weather. Finding the good in the midst of suffering or heartache will feel impossible. From one who has suffered [ and continues to struggle daily ] let me just tell you - it is not impossible and there is good to be found and cherished in the midst of those hardships. Seek God's strength, make the most of today, and be more than your suffering.

What trial are you weathering? Do you ever feel overshadowed by your suffering? What is a burden on your heart? Share your heart in the comments. I would love to connect with you and your story.

With so much love,

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